Global warming poses a number of threats to Bay Area

According to the environmental impact report for Plan Bay Area, global climate change poses an immediate threat to the Bay Area's economy, environment and public health.

The anticipated impacts include:

 Water supply: Changes in local rainfall, salt water intrusion, sea water flooding the delta and a reduced Sierra snowpack can all threaten the Bay Area's water supply.

 Infrastructure: Increased risks of flooding due to sea level rise, coastal erosion and more frequent and extreme storms could damage wastewater treatment plants, power plants and transportation.

 Agriculture: Changes in temperatures, more extreme heat days and the earlier onset of spring may lead to poor growing conditions for grapes and other agricultural products that contribute to the Bay Area economy and tourism.

 Ecosystems and biodiversity: With sea level rise, the Bay Area's coastal wetlands are threatened and cannot naturally move inland due to existing developments. This threatens the region's freshwater fish and may allow non-native species to thrive. Increased temperatures also result in increased incidence and severity of wildfires.

 Energy demand, supply and transmission: Energy demand will increase as temperature extremes become more common. This could lead to rolling blackouts or other energy production problems.

 Public health: Higher temperatures could lead to heat stroke, poor air quality and potentially the spread of diseases and pests. An increase in fires may also contribute to worsening air quality. These changes will disproportionately burden children, the elderly and those with pre-existing health conditions.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicts that the global mean temperature increase between 1990 and 2100 could range from 2 to 11.5 degrees Fahrenheit. It projects a sea level rise of 7 to 23 inches by the end of the century, with a greater rise possible depending on the rate of polar ice sheet melting.